When we're subconsciously trying to avoid something, many of us fall into an "escape mode" where we pick up slightly unusual habits. It could be something fairly innocuous like obsessive cleaning or overeating, or even something dangerous like aggressive driving or heavy drinking. Either way, if you can identify the symptoms of your escape mode, you can work on breaking out of it.

Trent at The Simple Dollar realized that he played a lot of video games and read a lot of books when avoiding problems in his life:

For the longest time, I didn't recognize the things I would do to "block out" the problems I was having. I viewed such activities as a sign that I was "down," not necessarily that I was trying to avoid facing a specific problem in my life.

Today, though, I recognize that response. I know that when I'm drawn to spend a significant chunk of my spare time playing video games or most of my spare time reading, I'm trying to avoid something in my life.

While a little escapism isn't necessarily a bad thing, you should try to figure out the root cause, and correct it if possible. Some stresses in life are subtle, or build slowly over time, but by self-diagnosing our escape mode, we can focus our energy on identifying and eliminating them. Trent actually used this method to identify the cause of his minor chronic leg pain, and eliminate it. For more of his story, be sure to check out the source link.